Vape News In Brief: February 19th, 2018 Edition

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*VNIB* is a semi-regular column in which we take a look around the globe, searching for news, science, and the occasional pop culture reference related to vaping and the life of vapers. Today, let's talk about…

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According to research from New Zealand, quitting smoking with vaping isn't easy for everyone – many users are put off by unrealistic expectations that vaping will be 'just like smoking.' To counter this, experts at the University of Otango stress the importance of hands-on teaching at vape shops, where knowledgeable owners can guide new vapers in selecting a device and knowing what the transition entails.

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This dreck has to be one of the worst arguments against vaping ever penned, or at least published by a major organization. Perhaps the book the author read did indeed help her quit smoking – that's great! But literally tens of millions of people worldwide have achieved their quit by incorporating a vapor device, and there's not much convincing in the assertion that 'what worked for me should work for everyone else.' Smokers know it's not like that.

According to a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study that's being being promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the more you can make kids scared of vaping, the less they're likely to vape. Okay, makes sense, but in the process of scaring kids don't you also have to use false claims to scare adult smokers who otherwise might make an attempt to quit?

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In what sounds like a classic Florida Man headline, a thief in Honolulu was allegedly trying to steal $22.99 worth of vape pods and, when confronted at a stop light by the shop employee who'd been ringing him up, ran into the worker and attempted to drive off with the clerk clinging to his hood. The suspect was located by police and arrested several minutes later.

Here's an interesting argument against restricting 18-21 year-olds from purchasing nicotine products, including vapor-related items. It's predicated on the assumption that raising the vapor/tobacco age is primarily intended to keep young adults from buying products for their teenage friends – indeed, this is a discussion of a proposal in Washington that wouldn't penalize the 18-21 crowd for being in possession of tobacco or vapor products. But it's still an interesting case.

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Remember that new Public Health England survey we covered recently that recommends vapor devices be made available as medical quit aids? Well, Filipino vaping advocates are taking the results and going to battle in an attempt to loosen vapor laws in the country, at one time famous in the vape scene for its high quality mechanical mod exports…

Compliance officers in Tonawanda, New York (a small town near Buffalo) recently set up a sting operation where underage teens were recruited to attempt to buy vape products at the town's four brick-and-mortar shops. Two of them took the bait – not a good look, Tonawanda.

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Here's an insightful op-ed from a vape shop owner calling for sensible, comprehensive regulations on vaping that make the important distinction that vapor products are not combustible tobacco and as such deserve their own consideration – maybe we call it Mindy St. Claire's house, a good Medium Place.

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Apparently vaping in taxis is a problem significant enough that one British town believes it's time to crack down…

Read this dispatch from the Australian parliament, which continues to debate whether to allow nicotine in vapor products, for the lede alone: ' Cross bench senator Cory Bernardi has taken 'Vape Force One' for a lap of Parliament House in Canberra. The senator claimed the government's prohibition on supplying nicotine for vapour devices, or e-cigarettes, doesn't stack up with health evidence, as he jumped into the driving seat of a van plastered with pro-vaping messages and packed with volunteers.'

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This is actually quite a good piece on how to talk to kids about vaping. If you've got teenagers, give it a look and then give them a sit-down if you haven't already, stressing if applicable that you're doing it because it's better than smoking, though in retrospect nearly everyone who smokes ends up wishing they hadn't later in life.

We'll leave you with the disturbing news that Syracuse University dorms seem to have a big problem with e-cigs and poorly-cooked microwave popcorn setting off false fire alarms – some students are forced to trudge down (and back up) 20 flights of stairs 100 times a year or more.

There's your notes for now, we'll be back soon!